Kimberly Aldinger, PhD

Kimberly Aldinger, PhD

"I've been fascinated by scientific puzzles ever since I was young, and I'm excited to apply that fascination to genetics and neuroscience. My goal is to understand how genetic changes contribute to neurodevelopmental disorders, and to make discoveries that lead to new therapies. Someday, I hope my work contributes to treatments that help childrens brains function normally so they can lead the happiest, healthiest possible lives."

She is particularly interested in understanding disorders that affect the cerebellum the part of the brain known for fine-tuning motor movements to enable posture, balance and speech. The cerebellum also plays an important role in the network that controls intellectual and emotional skills, which can be affected when the cerebellum is disconnected from other areas of the brain.

Through her research, Aldinger is discovering gene mutations that drive neurodevelopmental disorders, and unraveling how previously-discovered mutations influence these disorders and normal brain development.

Her goal is to contribute to therapies that help children overcome limitations due to genetic and acquired changes during early development.

Patterns of Risk for Multiple Co-Occurring Medical Conditions Replicate Across Distinct Cohorts of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.26011086 Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism Research, 2015 Dec. : 8(6)771-81

Advances in autism research brought to you by the letters A, C, T, and G

Bainbridge Library Program on Childhood Brain Development

Bainbridge, WA

Sept. 19, 2015

Overview

Medical/Professional School

University of Chicago, Chicago

Fellowship

University of Southern California, Los Angeles

Research Description

Dr. Aldinger's research investigates how the brain develops normally and how brain development can be impacted by genetic or non-genetic changes. She investigates how the molecular pathways affect development of the cerebellum. Her goals are to: (1) identify genetic causes and cell-types affected that lead to cerebellar malformations, (2) better define the molecular profiles of neurons in the developing cerebellum, and (3) evaluate the relationships between neurodevelopmental disorders and cerebellar dysfunction.

Remote Access

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